Stronger
by Kate Anderson
Summary: Another post 'Lights Up' fic. Bosco and Faith talk.
1. Stronger

Title: Stronger  
  
Author: Kate Anderson  
  
Email: sam_loves_jack@yahoo.ca  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Not mine. Not mine.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: 'Lights Up' and 'The Chosen Few' (kind of)  
  
Summary: Another post 'Lights Up' fic. Bosco goes to see Faith and they talk.  
  
Author's Notes: I know, I know...another 'Lights Up' fic. It's a little bit late in coming, but I heard this was required writing ;-)   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

He wasn't quite sure why he was there, or if she'd even want to see him. Something inside of him had told him to go to her. 

He found her beside the bed, chin propped up on her hands, gazing down at her husband. Her kids were asleep in chairs and he moved quietly past them, careful not to disturb them. 

He placed a hand on her bare shoulder, feeling the warmth of her skin radiating onto his hand. She moved slightly but didn't turn around. 

Bosco looked at Fred, lying there, completely motionless except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. He felt a surge of emotion and realized it was the first time that he'd actually felt concerned for the other man. 

The shoulder under Bosco's hand began to tremble. A muffled sob escaped from Faith's carefully closed lips and she buried her face in her hands. Bosco began to rub her shoulder, trying to soothe her without opening his mouth. He didn't trust himself enough to say what he really wanted to, 

Bosco watched as Faith's tears darkened the bed sheets and her body shuddered. She moved then, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and standing up. She bolted towards the door, leaving Bosco to stare at her empty chair, wondering why she always pushed him away. 

He decided to follow her and she wasn't hard to find. He found her sitting in the hall, knees to her chest, sobbing. She looked up at him, with a tear stained face and asked, "Why did you come back?" 

Bosco sat down beside her. "I wanted to see you." he replied. "I had to know if you were going to be alright." 

Faith wiped a hand across her face and sniffled. "I'm fine." 

Bosco shook his head. "No. No, you're not." 

"I will be." was Faith's response. 

Bosco moved his arm and put it around her shoulders. He half expected her to shake him off and was surprised when she didn't move. 

"Is he going to be okay?" Bosco asked. He had to know. 

Faith shrugged. "They did some tests." she said. "They'll know more when they get the results back." 

"Want me to stick around? I can drive you and the kids home so you can shower and change." Bosco offered. 

"Have you gotten any sleep?" Faith asked, looking at Bosco's face. 

"I'm not tired." he replied, knowing full well it was a lie. He knew Faith knew as well. 

"Look Bosco..." Faith started to say. "I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I was way out of line." 

Bosco closed his eyes but didn't reply. Faith continued, "Thank you for getting the kids. I didn't even think of them. I was so caught up with Fred, I didn't even think of my own kids. How terrible is that?" 

"Not terrible." Bosco replied, rubbing his hand on Faith's shoulder again. "It's how it goes." 

"I'm going to be taking some time off work." Faith said. "I have to be with Fred and the kids need me." 

Bosco nodded. "I heard there's an undercover unit looking for some cops. I thought I might sign up for that. Just until you're ready to come back that is." 

Faith looked at Bosco and smiled. "That sounds perfect for you." she said. 

"Mom?" 

Faith looked up and saw Charlie hovering by the door. He was rubbing his eyes and looked a little unsure of what he should be doing. "Hi sweetie." Faith said. "Is Emily still asleep?" 

Charlie nodded. "So is daddy." he said. 

Faith stood up and went over to her son. "We should wake Em up." she said. "Bosco's going to take us home so that we can get cleaned up and change our clothes, okay?" 

"We get to ride in his car?" Charlie asked, looking up at Faith. 

Bosco put a hand on Charlie's head. "Yep, you get to ride in my car." he said, ruffling Charlie's hair a bit. 

"Cool." Charlie said. "Can I sit up front?" 

Faith looked at Bosco and smiled at him. "Why don't you take Charlie out to your car? I'll get Emily and we'll meet you in the parking lot." she said. 

Bosco nodded and led Charlie down the hall. "Of course you can sit up front." Bosco said. "You'll be there first, your mom and Emily will just have to sit in the back, unless they wanna wrestle you for the seat." 

Charlie looked up at Bosco. "I could take them." he said. 

Bosco pushed the button for the elevator. "I don't know, your mom's pretty strong." 

"Stronger than you?" 

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. "Yeah, she's stronger than me." Bosco said. "A lot stronger than me."   
  



	2. Strong Enough

Title: Strong Enough (Sequel to Stronger)  
  
Author: Kate Anderson  
  
Email: sam_loves_jack@yahoo.ca  
  
Disclaimer: They're not mine - I'm just borrowing them for a bit. I promise to return them when I'm done!  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: 'Lights Up' and 'The Chosen Few'   
  
Summary: Set after 'The Chosen Few' Bosco finds Faith at the hospital.  
  
Author's Notes: I'm not good with writing sequels to stories but seeing as there seemed to be a demand for it, I decided to give it a try. Let me know what you think!   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  


"Faith?" 

Faith clutched the bible to her chest tighter as she heard her name being called. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him, she just didn't want to talk to anyone right now. 

"There you are." he said. "I've been lookin' all over for you." 

Faith turned to face him. "You found me." she said. "I wasn't hiding." 

"I saw Charlie and Em and their grandparents, but you weren't there." Bosco said. "One of the nurses said she thought she saw you go outside." 

"Is everyone still asleep?" Faith asked, pushing a strand of hair back from her face. 

Bosco nodded. "Sound asleep and snoring to beat all hell." he said with a laugh. Faith had to smile. 

"How did your first day undercover go?" Faith asked as she drew her sweater closer to her body. It wasn't really cold out, she just needed to feel secure. 

"Fine. It was fine. Got to sit in the car and be chewed out by my sergeant, but other than that, it was fine. Did you know that Chris Reyes is a chick?" 

Faith grinned and nodded. "I wasn't going to spoil the fun for you." 

Bosco scowled at her and moved in closer. "Fred in surgery?" he asked, looking into Faith's eyes. 

"Triple by-pass." Faith replied. 

"And you're out here, with a bible." Bosco stated. "Going religious on me now Yokas?" 

Faith shrugged. "I figured it couldn't hurt." she replied. "You know what Fred said to me Bos? He told me that he saw Jesus in the elevator. And Jesus picked him up and carried him into the light." 

"How much medication have they got him on?" Bosco said asked, somewhat rhetorically. 

"I laughed at him." Faith said. "He told me that he saw Jesus and I laughed at him. Told him that it was me that carried him." 

"I'm still amazed by that by the way." Bosco said. 

Faith smiled slightly. "He's ready to die Bos." she said softly. "I won't let him. That's why I'm out here." 

"He'll pull through." Bosco said, sincerely hoping that he would. As much as he sometimes hated Fred, he knew that Faith loved the man. 

"I hope you're right." Faith said. The wind had picked up more and it was whipping her hair into her face. Faith angrily swiped it back and tucked it behind her ear. 

Bosco stuffed his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat. "I'd better be going. I've got a 9:00 am start tomorrow." he said. "Take care of yourself Faith." 

Before he could turn and walk away, he found himself engulfed in Faith's arms. She had fairly thrown herself at him and before he could even think, he pulled his hands from his pocket and hugged her back. "Thanks for coming by. I don't think I could have gotten through this so far without you." Faith said, her voice muffled. She sounded close to tears. 

"Ah, it's no problem." Bosco replied, trying to sound casual. "I'll probably drop by again tomorrow, you know, to see how the surgery went." 

"I'd like that. I just don't think I'm strong enough to do this on my own - even with Fred's parents here." 

Bosco tightened his grip on Faith's back. "You're plenty strong enough Faith. I know you are." he said and Faith remained silent for a few moments. 

"Charlie wanted to see you today, to ride in your cool car again. I told him you were working." Faith said finally as she pulled away from Bosco. 

"He's a good kid." Bosco said with a smile. "Maybe when he gets a little older I'll let him take the wheel." 

Faith looked almost horrified and Bosco had to laugh. "Oh God, I don't think I ever want my kids driving!" 

"Tell him I'll see him tomorrow." Bosco said. "And we'll go for a drive. You and Em can come along too, if you want. I'd invite Fred but I don't think he'll be up for it." 

Faith switched the bible to her other hand and laughed softly at the mental image of cramming Fred and all his various IV lines into Bosco's car. "I think he'd rather stay in bed." Faith replied. 

Bosco nodded. "Well, uh, like I said before, I'd better get going. Reyes will probably kick my ass if I'm late tomorrow." He stuffed his hands back in his pockets. 

"I'll see you tomorrow then?" Faith asked. 

"You bet." Bosco said and turned and walked away. Faith clutched the bible to her chest again and looked up into the night sky. 


End file.
